Jingle Bell Bites (Holiday Shortbread Cookies)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch pan, then line with parchment paper, pressing the sides and corners to stick.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and extract at medium speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until a dough forms. It will be crumbly for a while, but keep beating. Stir in the nonpareils until evenly distributed.

Step 3

Transfer the dough to the lined pan and press evenly into the bottom. Use the parchment paper to lift the dough from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch square pieces (a pizza cutter works well). Place the squares 1/2-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet; discard parchment paper. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until bottoms just begin to brown.

Step 4

Recipe Source: Adapted from Land O Lakes